It's the third day of the O'Pen Bic World Championship at Circolo Vela Arco, in the waters of the Garda Lake. The second session of trials valid for the formation of the final ranking was held yesterday (August 2nd) thanks to the constant Ora wind which, with its 13/14 knots, pushed the 187 athletes through the adrenaline-filled challenge for the title of O'Pen Bic World Champion 2017.

New Zealand excelled today both in the U13 category and in the U17 with two unchallenged first placings, even though in the U17 category Giorgio Bona - born in Arco itself and herald of the Italian boot-shaped peninsula - is very close to the top. And if there is indeed a sizable Italian presence in the top half of both rankings, the visiting nations - though represented by fewer athletes - shouldn't be underplayed and are in fact getting closer to the yearned for podium. In the U13 category the Spanish Pol Font Reyero and the Australian (first among girls) Jenna Everett placed themselves right behind Russell Coutts' heir, Mathias Coutts. The fourth, fifth and sixth positions went respectively to the Italians Zeno Valerio Marchesini (Fraglia Vela Malcesine), Giorgia Bonalana (Circolo Vela Torbole) and Giovanni Santi (Cvg). Among the older athletes of the U17 category the austral hemisphere dominated the rankings, with Sean Herbert in first position and the Australian (first among young women) Kristen Wadley ranking third. The second place was taken by the Italian Giorgio Bona, member of Circolo Vela Arco. The French Jules Poupin, the Japanese Lisa Nukui and the Danish Lennart Frohmann hold the rest of the places close to the podium. The World Championship is progressing speedily and without a hitch thanks to the impeccable organization of Circolo Vela Arco, supported by Federazione Italiana Vela (Fiv), World Sailing and

by many other sponsors. This World Championship represents an important step forward for the O'Pen Bic class, which has been gathering more and more success and international acknowledgement in the last few years.